Boris Becker has warning for Alexander Zverev as his struggles to win a Grand Slam continue

Follow us on Google Discover

Boris Becker thinks Alexander Zverev needs to take his chance to win a Grand Slam sooner rather than later.

The German has yet to get his hands on a major, and he has reached a Grand Slam final on just two occasions.

Zverev struggled in Grand Slams while the ‘Big 3’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were all dominating simultaneously.

Since then, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have won multiple majors, while Zverev is still waiting for that elusive title.

When does Boris Becker think Alexander Zverev needs to win a Grand Slam?

Alexander Zverev came close to winning a Grand Slam title in 2024.

He reached the final of the French Open and found himself one set away from the title, before Alcaraz turned the tables and roared to a 6-3 2-6 5-7 6-1 6-2 victory.

With the Spaniard and World number one Sinner continuing to get stronger, and the likes of Ben Shelton and Jack Draper knocking on the door, the challenger will only get tougher for Zverev.

This is something Boris Becker alluded to on a new podcast with compatriot Andrea Petkovic titled the Becker Petkovic podcast, as he outlined the ideal time in which the World number two needs to win a major.

“He is now at an age where he has to do it,” Becker said. “For me, Sascha has to win the Grand Slam title he longs for in the next 18 months, because otherwise, it will be much more difficult than it is now.”

Can Alexander Zverev win his first Grand Slam at the 2025 Australian Open?

Zverev enjoyed an impressive end to 2024 by winning the Paris Masters and reaching the semi-finals of the ATP Finals.

He thoroughly enjoyed the indoor hard court conditions as his thunderous serve caused opponents plenty of problems.

But the season begins on outdoor hard courts, and Zverev will compete at the Australian Open, a tournament where he has reached the semi-finals on two previous occasions.

The first came in 2020, while the other occurred in 2024, where he squandered a two-set lead against Daniil Medvedev, who advanced to his third Australian Open final.

Zverev suffered an injury at the United Cup which forced him to withdraw from the tournament. But if he enters the Australian Open at full health, he will be one of the favourites for the title.